# Promoting RPE repair through modulation of Hippo signaling

> **NIH NIH R21** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $206,222

## Abstract

The  retinal  pigment  epithelium  (RPE)  maintains  tissue  homeostasis  through  long-­term  survival,  with  little 
evidence of de novo cell production. Due to continued growth of the eye and aging, cell density decreases and 
RPE  cells  generally  undergo  hypertrophy.  Degeneration  of  the  central  RPE  causes  the  progressive  chronic 
disease  age-­related  macular  degeneration  (AMD),  the  leading  cause  of  irreversible  vision  loss  in  the  elderly 
population. Besides some protective strategies, no effective cure for AMD is currently available. Recent studies 
revealed that substantial cell heterogeneity may be a feature that exists throughout the RPE. Importantly, certain 
subsets of this heterogeneous RPE cell population may contain distinct properties contributing to regeneration, 
with an intrinsic capacity for self-­renewal. We and others identified signaling pathways critical for developmental 
RPE  growth  and  differentiation,  specifically  the  Hippo  and  Wnt  pathways.  Here  we  propose  to  explore  how 
genetic modulation of such signaling pathways can stimulate regenerative repair in the mature mammalian RPE 
and  to  identify  RPE  subpopulations  with  regenerative potential.  Our  studies  will  provide  insight  into  potential 
novel regulators stimulating an intrinsic, regenerative response in the mature RPE. Identifying candidate targets 
for  clinical  therapy  is  a  critical  step  forward  for  treatment  of  RPE-­related  diseases  with  currently  very  limited 
therapeutic potential, such as atrophic AMD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10385789
- **Project number:** 5R21EY032724-02
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** SABINE FUHRMANN
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $206,222
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-05-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10385789

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10385789, Promoting RPE repair through modulation of Hippo signaling (5R21EY032724-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10385789. Licensed CC0.

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